Class Charter Based on Student WebBoard Discussions (Spring 2001)
Evaluating participation/interaction in an online environment can be extremely difficult. Participation is standard class room is easier for many students. On the other hand, a student who is non-social or who has trouble communicating with other students face-to-face may be very comfortable in an online environment. That said, it is critical that every student make an effort to fully participate with her/his peers. The following rubric with references to grades will be used to evaluate participation at the end of the semester.
- A: In this course, participation within peer groups is essential. Of course, it is often difficult for the instructor to determine the amount of interaction between the students. However, when the instructor reviews peer response comments, she will note that A students always give thoughtful analyses to their peers.
- A students understand and appreciate the need to fully participate on the WebBoard. The WebBoard gives students an opportunity to interact with one other and the instructor, and A students make good use of this resource.
- A students recognize that Internet classes require regular, active participation.
- A students are willing and able to put in extra time when necessary. Students must be willing to put in extra time in order to accurately complete all assignments and other necessary parts of the class by the appropriate due dates.
- Even when a particular assignment is not going to be given a letter grade, A students demonstrate genuine effort. In fact, A students prepare their best work each and every time they communicate and write in this class. They recognize how very hard it can be to interpret texts that aren't written and expressed clearly, so they work to make every assignment clear. Naturally, every text will not be a work of great literature, but A students consistently demonstrate respectable writing skills. Furthermore, they demonstrate that they have understood and can apply the concepts presented in the textbook in their own personal writing.
- A students also demonstrate the necessary people skills to present constructive criticism without being too offensive or too passive. A students never make class comments based on personal grudges. They show respect to those they disagree with. They are patient and considerate of their peers because they recognize that this is the best way to help groups come together and complete assignments.
- A students work well with others. Their WebBoard posts and peer response comments reflect that they are working very hard as a team. They never miss deadlines, except in unusual and unavoidable circumstances.
- C: In this course, participation within peer groups is essential. When the instructor reviews peer response comments, she will note that students who earn a C always provide the required peer response, but their comments may be cursory or vague.
- Students who earn a C understand and appreciate the need to participate on the WebBoard. The WebBoard gives students an opportunity to interact with one other and the instructor, and C students always post the required assignments. However, the WebBoard comments provided by students who earn a C may do little more than repeat comments that other class members made first, and they may rarely participate beyond the initial required post.
- C students recognize that Internet classes require regular, active participation, and their participation is generally appropriate. They may not, however, be willing or able to put in extra time if it is needed to accurately complete all assignments and other necessary parts of the class by the appropriate due dates.
- C: Even when a particular assignment is not going to be given a letter grade, students who earn a C C demonstrate reasonable effort. However, C students may not prepare their best work each and every time they communicate and write in this class. Comments given to individual group members or posted to the WebBoard may sometimes be unclear, though they will demonstrate competent writing skills. Their work sometimes demonstrates that they have understood and can apply the concepts presented in the textbook.
- C students generally demonstrate the necessary people skills to present constructive criticism without being offensive or passive. However, their comments may sometimes be vague (for example, they may tell a peer to change a particular passage without explaining why they think it should be changed). Or their comments may not be helpful (for example, they may simply tell a peer that a paper is "wonderful," without explaining whyit is wonderful; even the writer of a nearly perfect paper deserves thoughtful commentary). They generally show respect to those they disagree with and try to be patient and considerate of their peers.
- C students work adequately with others. Their WebBoard posts and peer response comments reflect that they are attempting to work hard as a team. They rarely miss deadlines.
- F: In this course, participation within peer groups is essential. Of course, it is often difficult for the instructor to determine the amount of interaction between the students. However, when the instructor regularly receives complaints about a particular student's contributions, and when those complaints come from many different classmates, the instructor knows that that student is not doing her or his fair share.
- F students do not seem to understand and appreciate the need to fully participate on the WebBoard, and they rarely make good use of this resource. They may never agree to be the spokesperson for their peer group, they may make only superficial or inappropriate comments, and they may sometimes fail to provide required posts.
- F students may not put forth the time and energy needed to succeed in the class. When a particular assignment is not going to be given a letter grade, F students tend not to work hard. They do not prepare their best work each and every time they communicate and write in this class. Their work may be unclear, or it may be filled with errors in Standard English. Some of their work may indicate that they have not completed the required reading.
- F students may be too offensive or too passive. They may make class comments based on personal grudges. They do not always show respect to those they disagree with. They may not be patient and considerate of their peers because they recognize that this is the best way to help groups come together and complete assignments. F students may not work well with others. Their WebBoard posts and peer response comments may reflect that they are dismissing others' ideas. They may often miss deadlines.
